Written by Archie Comics co-president and crime novelist Alex Segura and Michael Moreci, with art by Thomas Pitilli, the series will cast back to Tracy’s early career as a detective, rebooting the character’s origins to tell new stories about his formative years.

Even though Thanos has been trying his damnedest to get her attention for eons, Marvel’s abstract concept of Death’s been spending the bulk of her time lately hanging out with Ben Reilly, Spider-Man’s clone. In this week’s Scarlet Spider, Death visited Ben for a friendly chat about her involvement in the 2016 World Series.

Ugh, you knew it was coming since the guy was pushing 100, but still, horsefeathers, horsefeathers news.

The general opinion of Stan swung a little too far, IMO, in favor of guys like Kirby and Ditko over the last 30 years or so. Don't get me wrong: too many creators got the shaft at Marvel during their heyday in terms of what they were paid and being able to keep their artwork and whatnot, but a lot of that criticism got dumped on Lee like he was personally out to screw people over, AND like he contributed nothing to the titles he worked on with the artists. As great as guys like Kriby and Ditko were, I think it's hugely telling that pretty much all the work they did after their collaborations with Lee usually were great ideas and big concepts that could have desperately used someone else writing them.

So, yeah, that Stan was often tagged like he basically created all of the classic Marvel characters essentially by himself was definitely unfair...but the guy was a MASSIVE part of why so many of those characters took off in the first place (both as a writer and, especially, as a promoter). Excelsior, dammit!

neither of these guys are worthy to smell stan lee's farts (or even in the same galaxy as his accomplishments in the industry) but i would say either alan moore or todd mcfarlane. maybe jim lee (he's not as douche-y as the other two).

Derwood wrote:Is there any other comic book artist/writer who comes even close to Lee in terms of popularity or celebrity?

Nobody is even remotely close or will ever likely be again. He transcends the comic book industry. People who have never read a comic know who he is. Most people would be hard pressed to come up with the name of another artist or writer. Within comic circles its unlikely anybody else will ever have a hand in the creation of as many iconic characters as he did. His unbridled enthusiasm and love for the medium seems unlikely ever to be matched and his ability to be the PT Barnum of the comic industry has created shoes too big to be worn by any would be successor. I don't believe he was ever much of an artist and there are better writers but sometimes, the whole is just greater than the sum of the parts. He rubbed some the wrong way at times but his impact on the comic industry really can't be equaled.

Now I know that the Silver Surfer was more Jack Kirby's creation than Stan's, but he did become a favorite of Stan's quite quickly. In any case after I heard the news I was struck with an image of Stan seated at the front of the Surfer's board as the Surfer, his board and Stan slowly ascend upwards into the ether; Stan holding on to his toupee and a big grin on his face.

Godspeed, Stan.

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Stone added: "Lou's probably grumpy, because he only went 3-for-11 against me with no RBIs."

Long story short: Bill Maher did his usual Bill Maher thing, and penned an editorial bemoaning all of the tributes/mourning over Stan Lee as indicative of how people can't grow up because they don't stop reading comic books, comic books shouldn't be taken "seriously" by adults, and adults who read comic books are basically at fault for Trump being president. I'd link to it....but horsefeathers him. Really.